0860IF014

Purpose: DISH WIRELESS L.L.C. is the lead applicant in a consortium comprising of DISH WIRELESS L.L.C., FUJITSU NETWORK COMMUNICATIONS, INC., MAVENIR SYSTEMS, INC., and VMWARE, INC. to create the Open RAN Center for Integration and Deployment (ORCID). The center is further supported by technology partners Analog Devices, ARM, Cisco, Dell, Intel, JMA, NVIDIA, Qualcomm, and Samsung.

DISH is the only operator in the U.S. that has commercially deployed end-to-end mobile wireless network based on Open RAN standards.

Activities to be performed: ORCID will serve as a 'living laboratory' that combines both lab and field testing and evaluation activities and will be able to test elements brought by any qualified vendor against a complete, commercial-grade Open RAN 'stack'. ORCID will use DISH's spectrum holdings which include a combination of low-, mid-, and high-band frequencies, and enable field testing and evaluation.

DISH's Open RAN network already uses elements from dozens of vendors, giving ORCID a significant knowledge and experience lead in the multi-vendor testing environment. ORCID will evaluate Open RAN elements by mixing and matching them with those of other vendors, providing unique insights about the integration of Open RAN in brownfield networks as well. ORCID offers true vendor neutrality as this consortium is not beholden to a handful of entrenched vendors.

Expected outcomes: This program will provide faster testing and evaluation, faster integration, and faster Open RAN deployments. ORCID's multi-tenant lab and field testing will be housed in DISH's secure Cheyenne, Wyoming facility, which is compliant with stringent security protocols.

Intended beneficiaries: The project is available to all vendors that comply with objective onboarding criteria, opening up competition in the marketplace. At the end of the 5-year period, innovations will likely result in savings of hundreds of millions of dollars for American consumers.

Subrecipient activities: MAVENIR, FUJITSU, and VMWARE to provide resources to support the establishment and lifecycle management of the test lines in the lab and in the field. MAVENIR and VMWARE will also work with participating entities to support the testing of their respective solutions/products. VMWARE will make experts available to support the SMO test line.

Dish Wireless

TO FUND EFFORTS THAT ACCELERATE THE DEVELOPMENT, DEPLOYMENT, AND ADOPTION OF OPEN AND INTEROPERABLE RADIO ACCESS NETWORKS (RAN) THROUGH A COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAM. TO EXPAND INDUSTRY-ACCEPTED TESTING AND EVALUATION TO EFFECTIVELY FACILITATE AND ASSESS THE INTEROPERABILITY, PERFORMANCE, AND/OR SECURITY OF OPEN AND INTEROPERABLE, STANDARDS-BASED 5G RADIO ACCESS NETWORKS; AND (2) DEVELOP NEW AND/OR MATERIALLY IMPROVE EXISTING TESTING METHODOLOGIES TO TEST, EVALUATE, AND VALIDATE THE INTEROPERABILITY, PERFORMANCE, AND/OR SECURITY OF THESE NETWORKS, INCLUDING THEIR COMPONENT PARTS, IN ORDER TO ADDRESS NEEDS NOT CURRENTLY MET BY INDUSTRY-ACCEPTED TESTS AND BEST PRACTICES.

11.038 - Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund Grant Program – Expanding Testing and Evaluation

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) [DOC]

Englewood, Colorado 80112-5905 United States

Single Zip Code

Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund Grant Program – Expanding Testing and Evaluation (NTIA-PWSCIF-2023)

Amendment Since initial award the End Date has been shortened from 01/14/29 to 03/21/26 and the total obligations have decreased 60% from $75,287,478 to $30,000,000.